When communications manager Lynn Brown approached him with the opportunity, "I told her she was crazy," Mr. O’Donnell said. "I wasn’t going to do a reality TV show." It took numerous conversations, but Mr. O’Donnell was finally swayed by the prospect of honoring "unsung heroes" within his ranks.

The latest episode, which ran last Sunday, focused on Hooters and its CEO Coby Brooks.

In both cases, the CEOs discovered, publicly, good and bad things about their companies from working on the front lines. But does this really make the company better?

Certainly, it’s beneficial for a company, especially a service company, to improve communication between the top boss and the rank-and-file employees who deal with the public. CBS claims the executives have no control over what’s shown in the episode, so the show is a gamble in terms of public image.

But you also have to wonder how much more bosses might see if they didn’t have a camera crew in tow. In the end, “Undercover Boss” feels more like a publicity stunt than a serious attempt to improve operations. That’s especially true in the case of Hooters, which is reportedly for sale.